Smartphones based on Google’s Android platform have become the most popular with Americans purchasing new devices. According to a survey by market research firm Nielsen, from June to August 2011, 56 percent of Americans who purchased a smartphone went for the Android mobile operating system.

Apple Inc.'s new patent application filed with the United States patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has been rejected. The patent filing by the company, which demanded an exclusive right for the iPhone maker over the phrase “multi-touch”, apparently failed to convince the authorities in the USPTO.

Verizon stands behind Samsung in the Korean company’s legal battle against iPhone maker Apple. According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, Verizon said in a legal filing that if the courts ban some of Samsung devices, its investment in the next generation will be negatively impacted.

Facebook has promised to fix a major privacy bug on its platform, which allowed the company to track of users’ browsing activities even after they had logged out of the platform.

The first week of October 2011 is expected to be one of the busiest ever when it comes to product launches, with Apple launching the iPhone 5 and other manufacturers queueing up a slew of Android and Windows Phone 7 handsets, all set to disrupt Apple's extravaganza. Now Sony Ericsson is set to make the Xperia Pro available from the 6th of October.